An integrated circuit (IC) for clock and phase aligning and synchronization between physical (PHY) layers and a communications controller is provided. The IC includes a clock multiplier configured to multiply a frequency of the clock signal from a plurality of PHY layers to match a frequency of a clock signal of the controller, wherein the clock signal from the plurality of PHY layers is less than the frequency of the clock signal of the controller. IC support circuitry is configured to provide the multiplied clock signal to the controller. The IC includes a first clock divider configured to divide the frequency of the multiplied clock signal and to output the divided clock signal to the controller. The IC includes a phase alignment circuit configured to align phases of one or more data signals based on a phase of the clock signal and a phase of the multiplied clock signal.

The present application provides a window function processing module including an integrating circuit, configured to receive an integrating input signal, the integrating circuit comprising an operational amplifier; an integrating capacitor, coupled to an output terminal and a first input terminal of the operational amplifier; and an adjustable impedance module, coupled between the first input terminal of the operational amplifier and an integrating input terminal of the integrating circuit, wherein the adjustable impedance module is controlled by at least one control signal to adjust an impedance value of the adjustable impedance module; and a control unit, coupled to the integrating circuit, configured to generate the at least one control signal according to a window function, to adjust the integration gain of the integrating circuit, such that the integrating output signal is related to an operation result of the integrating input signal and the window function.

The present application provides a window function processing module including an integrating circuit, configured to receive an integrating input signal, the integrating circuit comprising an operational amplifier; an integrating capacitor, coupled to an output terminal and a first input terminal of the operational amplifier; and an adjustable impedance module, coupled between the first input terminal of the operational amplifier and an integrating input terminal of the integrating circuit, wherein the adjustable impedance module is controlled by at least one control signal to adjust an impedance value of the adjustable impedance module; and a control unit, coupled to the integrating circuit, configured to generate the at least one control signal according to a window function, to adjust the integration gain of the integrating circuit, such that the integrating output signal is related to an operation result of the integrating input signal and the window function.

Apparatus and methods for multiphase clock generation are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a multiphase clock generator includes a first clock buffer that generates a first output clock signal based on a first input clock signal, a second clock buffer that generates a second output clock signal based on a second input clock signal, and a first clock interpolation circuit that generates a third output clock signal based on interpolating the first input clock signal and the second input clock signal. The first clock interpolation circuit generates the third output clock signal based on multiplying the first input clock signal by a first adjustable current to generate a first multiplied current, multiplying the second input clock signal by a second adjustable current to generate a second multiplied current, combining the first multiplied current and the second multiplied current to generate a combined current, and integrating the combined current.

Apparatus and methods for multiphase clock generation are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a multiphase clock generator includes a first clock buffer that generates a first output clock signal based on a first input clock signal, a second clock buffer that generates a second output clock signal based on a second input clock signal, and a first clock interpolation circuit that generates a third output clock signal based on interpolating the first input clock signal and the second input clock signal. The first clock interpolation circuit generates the third output clock signal based on multiplying the first input clock signal by a first adjustable current to generate a first multiplied current, multiplying the second input clock signal by a second adjustable current to generate a second multiplied current, combining the first multiplied current and the second multiplied current to generate a combined current, and integrating the combined current.

A chip with pad tracking having an input/output buffer (I/O buffer), a pad, and a bias circuit. The I/O buffer is powered by a first power and is coupled to the pad. The pad is coupled to the system power. The bias circuit generates a bias signal to be transferred to the I/O buffer to block a leakage path within the I/O buffer when the system power is on and the first power is off. The bias circuit is a voltage divider which generates a divided voltage as the bias signal. In an example, the bias circuit is powered by a second power that is independent from the first power and is not drawn from the pad. In another example, a power terminal of the bias circuit is coupled to an electrostatic discharging bus, and the pad is coupled to the electrostatic discharging bus through a diode.

A chip with pad tracking having an input/output buffer (I/O buffer), a pad, and a bias circuit. The I/O buffer is powered by a first power and is coupled to the pad. The pad is coupled to the system power. The bias circuit generates a bias signal to be transferred to the I/O buffer to block a leakage path within the I/O buffer when the system power is on and the first power is off. The bias circuit is a voltage divider which generates a divided voltage as the bias signal. In an example, the bias circuit is powered by a second power that is independent from the first power and is not drawn from the pad. In another example, a power terminal of the bias circuit is coupled to an electrostatic discharging bus, and the pad is coupled to the electrostatic discharging bus through a diode.

The signal generator includes the following: an oscillation generation circuit, configured to generate an initial oscillation signal based on an oscillation control signal; a duty cycle correction circuit, connected to an output end of the oscillation generation circuit and configured to adjust a duty cycle of the initial oscillation signal based on a duty cycle control signal, to generate an adjusted oscillation signal; an output interface, connected to an output end of the duty cycle correction circuit and configured to output the adjusted oscillation signal to an external test system; and an amplitude adjustment circuit, connected to the output end of the duty cycle correction circuit and configured to adjust an amplitude of the adjusted oscillation signal based on an amplitude control signal, to generate a test signal.

A multiple operating-mode comparator system can be useful for high bandwidth and low power automated testing. The system can include a gain stage configured to drive a high impedance input of a comparator output stage, wherein the gain stage includes a differential switching stage coupled to an adjustable impedance circuit, and an impedance magnitude characteristic of the adjustable impedance circuit corresponds to a bandwidth characteristic of the gain stage. The comparator output stage can include a buffer circuit coupled to a low impedance comparator output node. The buffer circuit can provide a reference voltage for a switched output signal at the output node in a higher speed mode, and the buffer circuit can provide the switched output signal at the output node in a lower power mode.

An input sampling method includes the following: acquiring a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal respectively; widening a pulse width of the first pulse signal to obtain a widened first pulse signal; shielding an invalid signal in the second pulse signal based on the widened first pulse signal to obtain a to-be-sampled signal; and finally, sampling the to-be-sampled signal based on a clock signal. In this way, prior to signal sampling, the invalid signal is shielded to avoid additional power consumption caused by sampling the invalid signal, and at the same time, the pulse width of the signal is widened to avoid sampling failure.